It has been recognized that in connection with the packaging of drugs and similar products, it is desirable to provide child resistant packages that are not easily operable by children in order to insure their safety. One of the problems with many of the packages that have been proposed is that they are also difficult to manipulate by the elderly and persons suffering from arthritis and other diseases.
It has been suggested that a child resistant closure be provided that includes a container, a finish element or fitment on the container, and a closure wherein the fitment is rotatable relative to the container preventing the closure from being removed but can be manually grasped as by thumb pressure to permit the closure from being removed. Typical child resistant packages of this type are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,403,803, 3,426,931, 3,595,427, 3,656,646, 3,677,431 and 4,089,433.
One of the problems with such prior packages is that their design is such that the finish fitment cannot freely rotate so that they may not be as child resistant as might be desired. Another problem with such child resistant packages is that it is necessary to grasp the finish element both during application and removal of the closure.
Accordingly, among the objects of the present invention are to provide a child resistant package wherein the fitment is free to rotate when the closure is applied and tightened in position; wherein the child resistant package provides a fluid tight seal; wherein the closure is child resistant and yet can be operated by the elderly and disabled; and wherein the closure can be applied without the need to grasp any separate element other than the closure and container manually during application of the closure.
A child resistant closure and container comprising a container, a finish fitment rotatably mounted on the open end of the container, first interengaging means between the finish element and the container, and a closure having a top wall and a skirt. Interengaging means are provided between the finish element and the skirt requiring relative rotation to disengage the closure from the finish fitment. The finish fitment includes a top portion interposed between the top wall of the closure and the container such that the top wall of the container engages this portion of the fitment. The fitment and the closure is rotatable relative to the container and the interengaging means are disengageable only when said fitment is manually grasped and prevented from rotating relative to said container. The container and fitment have additional interengaging means operable to prevent rotation of the fitment only when the closure is being applied so that the fitment need not be held manually during application of the closure.